New pavement parking fines of up to £130 are coming - here's what drivers need to know before they land

If you routinely park with your wheels on the pavement outside your home or near work, it is worth paying attention to what just changed in the law last week, because fines of up to £130 are on their way.

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act received Royal Assent on 13 May 2026, the day of the King's Speech. The legislation gives councils across England the power to introduce pavement parking bans and enforce them using civil enforcement officers, the same people who already issue parking tickets on yellow lines and in controlled zones. Secondary legislation is expected later in 2026 to enable councils to act against unnecessary obstruction of the pavement, with statutory guidance to follow.

It is not yet in force everywhere, but the direction of travel is clear, enforcement is coming, and the time to understand what is and is not going to be allowed is now rather than after a fine arrives.

What is actually changing?

Outside London, pavement parking has existed in a legal grey area for decades. It has always been technically illegal to drive onto a pavement, but parking there was rarely enforced and councils had no straightforward mechanism to issue fines for it. London has had a blanket ban since the 1970s, and Scotland introduced nationwide enforceable restrictions in December 2023. England is now following, though through a different approach.

Rather than a single national ban, local transport authorities across England will be able to prohibit pavement parking on specific streets and enforce fines against drivers who breach the restriction. Each council will decide which streets are covered, which means the rules will vary by area. Where councils do introduce restrictions, fines are expected to range between £60 and £130, with some flexibility depending on the council.

The focus is on inconsiderate parking that completely blocks pedestrian access, not on punishing drivers who have no practical alternative on narrow residential roads. Councils will be able to introduce exemptions for specific streets where partial pavement parking is genuinely necessary to allow traffic to flow.

What will you be able to be fined for?

Once your local council adopts the powers, enforcement could cover:

• Parking fully on the pavement in a restricted area

• Blocking a dropped kerb, including those that allow wheelchair or pushchair access

• Stopping across a cycle lane during restricted hours

• Causing unnecessary obstruction of a footway, even if only partially on the pavement

Separately, under the strengthened private car park code of practice now in effect, most charges are capped at £50 and camera-monitored car parks must stop issuing fines if you pay before leaving, which protects drivers from app delays or long queues at payment machines.

How do you know if your area is affected by new pavement parking fines?

The honest answer right now is to check with your local council. The rollout is being handled locally, which means one borough may enforce actively from late 2026 while a neighbouring one has not yet introduced restrictions. Visiting your local council's website or contacting their transport or parking department is currently the most reliable way to confirm whether new rules or enforcement zones apply to where you regularly park.

Signage should be put up before enforcement begins in any given area, but it is worth checking the rules now rather than relying on noticing new signs in time.

What if a parking fine lands and you think it is wrong?

Whether the fine comes from a council or a private car park, you have the right to challenge it, and doing so costs nothing. The key difference is the type of notice you have received.

A council-issued Penalty Charge Notice is a statutory penalty with real legal force. A private parking Parking Charge Notice is a civil contract claim. They look similar but work entirely differently, and confusing the two can lead to paying something that had no legal force.

For a council PCN:

Write to the council within 14 days explaining why you are challenging it. This is called an informal appeal. If they reject it, you have a further 28 days to make a formal appeal. If that is also rejected, you can take it to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, which is independent, free to use, and you can submit your case in writing without attending in person. If you do not appeal and do not pay within 28 days, the fine increases by 50%.

For a private parking notice:

Private operators registered with the British Parking Association or International Parking Community can pursue unpaid charges through the County Court, so these are not safe to ignore. Appeal to the operator first, and if they reject it, escalate to POPLA (for BPA members) or IAS (for IPC members), both of which are free independent services. Around 35 to 45% of private parking appeals to POPLA succeed.

One important rule for both: never pay a fine you intend to appeal. Payment is treated as admitting liability, which ends the appeal process immediately.

What drivers need to know right now

The law has changed and councils have the powers they need. Secondary legislation and statutory guidance are expected later this year, after which local enforcement can begin in earnest. If you regularly park on a pavement, particularly in an urban area, it is worth checking your council's website now and being aware that the habit may start costing you money before the end of 2026.

If you want to report a pavement parking issue in your area or find out whether your council has introduced restrictions, most councils have an online form for reporting obstructive parking.